• Published 27th Mar 2015
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Ynanhluutr - Imploding Colon



A newly transformed Rainbow Dash continues her flight east.

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It's Fun To Stay At The

The westernmost tip of the large island formed a thick peninsula. Approximately thirty feet from the shore, a ridiculously-well manicured lawn formed, full of thick, green grass. Here, in a field surrounded by a crescent of sporadically-built structures, dozens if not hundreds of ponies gathered. They were young equines, mostly earth pony mares and stallions who had just passed their teenage years. They gathered in droves, chatting, laughing, and engaging in philosophical discourse.

For the most part, however, they dug their muzzles deep into tomes, pamphlets, and textbooks. Several gathered in a concrete courtyard between a group of old three-story buildings. They had sheets of paper spread out and were busily drafting a group essay while two or three other ponies pontificated from a textbook. Several more ponies grouped around a veranda standing off in the distance, painting colorful frescoes onto white canvases. Even further off, a squad of three dozen or so young ponies galloped across the grounds while a track leader ran alongside them, barking out orders.

The buildings were very quaint and humble, possessing white stone walls lined with vertical beams of dark brown wood. The upper two levels stuck out a bit further than the foundation, and a series of triangular frames met together to form a rooftop made out of tiny stones melded tightly together. Slender chimneys raised towards the sky, although none of them were billowing any fumes at the moment. Between these structures, oak trees and elms resided—neatly planted, despite their alien presence in the tropical islandscape.

Along a gravel path, an elder pony strolled, wearing a dark suit and an academic cap. Several young ponies trotted alongside him, asking questions. The old stallion simply chuckled, shifted the weight of his book bag, and spoke: “But, you see, my little ponies, that's just the issue. An oligarchy run by a phantom is still an oligarchy. For all of Rohbredden's glory, its citizens are never truly free, and yet they have allowed complacency to blind them as a poor substitute for joy. And that is why Kihutaja shall never join the Six Tribes, or else we shall all suffer from the Snow Queen's spell like the Continentals did.”

“But Professor, look at the economic progress they have made!” one student exclaimed. “Considering the fact that they've survived multiple race wars instigated by the griffons alone, isn't that something to be proud of?”

“Wealth is a luxury,” the old stallion said as they approached one of the buildings. “Do not judge a culture by how much gold they've accumulated, for the richness of one's mind is far more wholesome. And as for peace—the Colonials have been enjoying tranquility here in the western islands for centuries, and we never once required the help of 'Verlaxion.' Now have we, hmmm?”

“You heard the Professor! We don't need Rohbredden's dogma!”

“It's not dogma, though! The six tribes have achieved autocracy!”

“You have a very porous definition of autocracy!”

“Pffft... somepony needs to hit the books again.”

“You've gotta be kidding me...”

As the group carried their debate inside, a young unicorn with a brown mane passed them. He rolled his eyes and smirked, straightening a book bag on his pale flank as he shuffled off towards the westernmost tip of the college lawn. A stallion whistled shrilly in the air. The unicorn looked over, gasped, and caught a leather ball at the last second. He tossed it back at a group of ponies with an amused look on his face. Then—after taking a moment to wink at a group of giggling mares—he reached the edge of the grass. Here, a lone palm tree loomed, well within earshot of the crashing waves against the western shore.

With a contented sigh, the young pony stripped of his bookbag and pressed it to the base of the palm tree. Using it as a pillow, he plopped down and pulled out a single book with his bare hooves. The binding had the illustration of a massive sailboat, and he opened it eagerly, his purple eyes pouring over its pages of dense prose.

He was barely a minute into his studies when the wind picked up, followed by a strange whistling sound in the air.

The stallion looked up, his pale muzzle scrunched. He glanced left, glanced right, but still looked puzzled. Right at that moment, the atmosphere split with a veritable sonic discharge, followed by—THUD!

He yelped, hopping up to his hooves and spinning around.

It was just in time for him to spot a blue pegasus sliding down the west edge of the palm tree. Rainbow Dash stirred on the ground, wings dangling crookedly on either side of her exhausted figure.

“Holy sand dollars!” the stallion gasped breathily. “Are you okay there?!”

“Grnnngh...” Rainbow Dash stirred on the ground, teeth gritting.

“Heh... heheh... how the heck did you manage to crash into that?!” He smirked, trotting around to her side. “Don't you know that attempting flight is against campus rules here at K.M.C.A?”

“Mmmfff...” Rainbow Dash rubbed her cheek, looking up at the unicorn with weak eyes.

“Hey...” He leaned his head to the side. “You're... you're not from around here, are you?” He glanced out at the expansive blue ocean, then at the sandy white shore behind her. “Oh! I bet you're one of the new transfers from Archipelago University!” He rubbed his hoof clean and held it out towards her. “Hello. I'm Nick. I could show you around the Academy grounds if you like!”

Rainbow Dash trembled. She glanced at the lawn, the ponies, and then the old rustic buildings lining the island campus. Nervously, she reached a hoof out—then jolted slightly as the stallion lifted her to her hooves.

“What are you majoring in? Judging from your legs, I'm gonna guess you've got an athletic scholarship.” Nick fidgeted. “Er... I-I mean, not that I was staring at your legs or anything... eheheheh...” Taking a huge breath, he held his book up and changed the subject. “I'm hoping to graduate in Nautical Engineering!”

Rainbow Dash looked all around, her mane blown in the wind as she panted.

“I know the wind doesn't mean the same out here in Kihutaja like it does in the rest of the Archipelagos, but that doesn't mean we gotta give up on having a functioning navy someday!” Nick smiled as he rambled on, “After all, with the Continentals getting stronger and stronger by the decade, you'll never know when we might have to defend ourselves from—”

While Rainbow Dash blinked dazedly, a lavender figure rose up out of the ground, cooing. “Oooh... a university!”

Rainbow Dash instantly squeaked, her eyes wide.

“This is great!” Twilight Sparkle grinned wide. “Maybe we can finally zero in on where Discord's zapped us!”

Panting, Rainbow Dash stumbled forward.

“Maybe it's Hayvard... no!” Twilight pranced after Rainbow. “Oxfoal! No, wait... Oxfoal is built further inland than Hayvard.”

“—because air superiority isn't going to make or break the balance of power when you have so much ocean to cross,” Nick continued, grinning. “Even all the wyverns and griffons in the world won't mean didley-squat unless you've got a firm base to take off from—”

“—Oh! I know! It's University of Fillyda!” Twilight smiled triumphantly. “That's built on a coast... r-right? Isn't it?”

“—the Legendary Battle of Kihutaja was won using amphibious landing craft, after all.”

“Rainbow? Rainbow?” Twilight frowned. “Would it kill you to at least look at me?”

Rainbow seethed and hung her head, trotting forward on heavy hooves.

“I mean it, Rainbow! Enough is enough!” Twilight stomped her left hoof, only for it to sink partially through the lawn with a lavender flash. “Whoah! Ahem... Seriously... won't you help me out here? Just a little?”

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash froze in place.

“—and that's why it's important to have back-up oarshorses as part of your crew in case the ship travels too far west—”

Rainbow spun around, facing Nick with wide eyes.

“—and enters... the... nautical blight.” Nick blinked at Rainbow's attention. “Erm... d-did you have something to add?” He smiled sheepishly. “I'm all ears, of course.”

“Pfft... give it up, Mister,” Twilight grumbled, rolling her eyes. “If she won't listen to me, she won't listen to anypony.”

Nick continued staring at Rainbow Dash, unfazed.

Rainbow blinked. She glanced over at Twilight, then at him again.

Nick curiously followed Rainbow's line of sight, staring out into the crashing surf.

Rainbow cocked her head to the side. She strafed sideways, passing between Nick and Twilight.

Nick's head swiveled, following her. “Erm... eheheh...” He followed Rainbow's movement, completely, even after she had strafed past Twilight. “I don't get it. Am I missing something here?”

“Can you talk some sense into her, please?” Twilight said, trotting up to the young stallion. “Or, better yet, could you just help us? An old monster named Discord is on the loose, and he's trying to make Ponyville the chaos capital of the world.” She leaned forward. “I know this all sounds very strange, but would you kindly tell us where in Equestria we are, exactly?”

“If you need some information, student administrations is on the east end of the island, right where the bridge ends,” Nick said, facing Rainbow the whole time.

Rainbow blinked.

“Uhm... hello?” Twilight waved her hoof right in Nick's face. “Excuse me? Can you help us at all?” Her muzzle scrunched upon receiving no response. “Yeesh... is everypony rude today? It must be something in the water.”

Rainbow's brow furrowed. She strafed again, this time trotting sideways around Nick.

“Uhhh...” Nick stood in place, looking past his flank at the shuffling Rainbow Dash. “Is... is everything alright, Miss? Are you feeling okay?”

Rainbow came to a stop directly behind the stallion.

“Because I know the nurse at the campus infirmary personally if you're needing to pay a visit—”

“Grnngh!” Rainbow shoved him hard.

“Gaaie!” Nick plunged forward, and straight through Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight flinched. Lavender light flashed, but she was completely unfazed.

“Ooomf!” Nick grunted as he collapsed on the other side of the unicorn. Students looked over, gawking curiously as he sat up with a frown. “What was that for?”

“Rainbow, I know you're feeling grumpy, but that's no need to be rude!” Twilight exclaimed. Then, after a few blinks, she glanced down at her hooves in sudden, belated epiphany. “Erm... wait... w-wait a minute...”

“First you crash into my study tree and then you start shoving ponies?!” Nick continued to rant, even during Twilight's rambling.

Rainbow grimaced. Shivering, she slowly pivoted east and began strolling across the campus. Several ponies' heads turn, watching this curious, ragged pegasus with a gold pendant and a midnight blue saddlebag stumbling through their lawn.

Twilight glanced at her own hooves with a quivering lip. She blinked several times, then stared off into space. “Something... something's not...” Before the beam of lavender energy could form, she spun and galloped after Rainbow. “Rainbow! Wait! Please! Just... just listen to me for a second! Rainbow? Rainbow!

Nick stood by the tree, muzzle agape. He glanced at the other ponies on campus, shrugged, then picked his things up. “Hey! Hey, Miss!” He shuffled swiftly after Rainbow Dash.

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